OSHA Revises Field Ops Manual to Cut SMB Penalties

• OSHA has revised guidelines in its Field Operations Manual to reduce penalties for small business that act fast to correct workplace hazards.
• The changes raise the businesses’ employee threshold, from 10 or fewer employees to a business employing as many as 25 workers.
• That gives those larger businesses as much as a 70% penalty reduction.
• Employers that immediately address or correct safety hazards following an agency citation should expect a 15% penalty reduction.
• Those without a history for violations should qualify for a 20% lower penalty.
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Former NIOSH Scientist Warns on Mental Health Risks

•  A former senior behavioral scientist at NIOSH who took a buyout earlier this year is warning that workplace mental health efforts are at risk from cuts at the agency.
• “Workplace mental health is one of the most underappreciated yet critical areas we could intervene on,” said Thomas Cunningham, a former senior behavioral scientist at NIOSH. “We were just starting to get some strong support from all the players involved,” he said. “This administration has blown that apart.”
• Emily Hilliard, a press secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, said that “the nation’s critical public health functions remain intact and effective,” including support for coal miners and firefighters through NIOSH. “Improving the mental health of American workers remains a key priority for HHS, and that work is ongoing,” she said in a statement.
• Just after the height of the pandemic, a NIOSH survey found nearly half of health workers reported feeling burned out and nearly half intended to look for a new job. The agency declared a mental health crisis in that workforce.
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NSC Report Targets Heat Stress in Crane Workers

• The National Safety Council (NSC) has issues a set of recommendations to protect crane workers from high-heat hazards.
• “Addressing Heat Stress in the Crane Industry” advises that effective heat stress management requires a holistic approach combining on-site prevention, environmental monitoring, and clearly defined heat safety policies and procedures.
• The report draws  on a survey of more than 2,000 crane personnel, where three in four respondents reported being “likely” or “very likely” to have experienced heat stress or illness while working.
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Second Miner Joins Lawsuit Challenging Black Lung Program Cuts

• A second West Virginia coal miner has joined as a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s cuts to NIOSH’s program that screens miners for black lung disease.
• Matthew Ward, a Mingo County coal miner who also has black lung and is seeking a job transfer, was added to the suit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
• In May, U.S. District Judge Irene Berger ordered HHS to restore the program, however only some of the Coal Workers Health Surveillance Program has been restored since then.
• The 1969 Federal Coal Mine Safety and Health Act established the program. That Act also prohibits any administration from weakening miner protections.
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OSHA Seeks Comment on Alliance Program Data Collection

• OSHA is looking for feedback on its Alliance Program, which supports voluntary partnerships on workplace health and safety.
• The two-decade-old program fosters collaborations with trade groups, unions and academic institutions on workplace initiatives.
• The agency is seeking comments on the effectiveness and need for the data collection.
• Among the long-standing partnerships is OSHA’s work with the American Staffing Association on protecting temporary workers.
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